4-6 The Relationship Between Family System Differentiation and Psychosocial Development

In this study, the authors adopt a multigenerational family devlopment framework to examine the reationship between family system differentiation college students’psychosocial development. 407 college students completed the Differentiation in the Family System Scale (DIFS) and the Psychosocial Development scale (PDS). Peearson-correlation and mulitple regressions were conducted to examine the association among four subsystems' differentiation levels and seven psychosocial development dimensions. Results indicate that all but Autonomy and Integrity in PDS are significantly correlated with four subsystem scores in DIFS. Generally speaking, people who come from well differentiated families are better adjusted psychos也ially than those from poorly differentiated families. The idea that family system differentiation can predict college student’s development was supported, especially in the male sample. We also found gender differences regarding the pattern that family influenes the individual development. Finally, conclusions were made and suggestions were proposed. We urge more researchers to conduct indigenous studies integrating Chinese culture. And family systems oriented counseling is encouraged in college settings.

Keywords
family system differentiation college student’s development psychosocial development

Reference

王大維(民 84 )。健康的家庭系統之探討。學生輔導雙月刊, 40 期, 90-101頁。
王行(民 82 )。大學生自我分化程度與生濫成熟度關係之探討。東吳社會學報, 2 期, 89-115 頁。
王沂釗(民 83 )。家庭結構、家庭關係與青少年生活適應之分析研究。國立彰化師範大學輔導研究所碩士論文。
王嚮蕾(民 83 )。原生家庭父母自我分化與青少年自我分化、焦慮之相關研究。國立台灣師大教育心理與輔導研究所碩士論文。
江南發(民 80 )。青少年自我統合與發展。高雄:復文出版社。
奧就君譯(民 83 )。(新)家庭如何塑造人。台北:張老師出版社。
沈彩梅(民 83 )。青少年家庭功能、職業自我概念與生避發展之相關研究。國立台灣師範大學教育心理與輔導研究所碩士論文。
陳李綱(民 72 )。大專男女生自我統整與職業選擇、學習滿意度及父母養育方式之比較研究。教育心理學報, 16期, 89-98頁。
張郁雯(民 75 )。我國大學生心理社會發展與心理健康之相關研究。國立台灣大學心理研究所碩士論文。
彭懊真(民 85 )。婚姻與家庭。台北:巨流。
蔥風(民 84 )。大一學生原生家庭經驗、心理分離-個體化、與情緒適應之相關研究。國立台灣師範大學教育心理與輔導研究所碩士論文。
曾慧敏(民 74 )。自我統整、性別角色與 Erikson 心理社會發展關係研究。國立政治大學教育研究所碩士論文。
鄭青玫(民 84 )。後青春期大學男生知覺其父母婚姻狀況對其個體化影響之研究。國立彰化師範大學輔導研究所碩士論文。
劉姿君(民 83 )。大學生自我認定狀態與其生瀝決定程度及自我分化水準之關係研究。國立台灣師範大學教育心理與輔導研究所碩士論文。
Alishia, K. C. (1992). Applying transgenerational family theory and therapy to college student psychotherapy. Journal of College StudentPsγchotherapy, 6 (3/4), 97-116.
Allison, M. D., & Sabatelli, R. M. (1988). Differentiation and individua- tion as mediators of identity and intimacy in adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Research, 3, 1-16.
Anderson, S. A., & Sabatelli, R. M. (1990). Differentiating differentiation and individuation: Conceptual and operational challenges. The Ameri- can Journal of Family Therapy, 18, 32-50.
Anderson, S . A . , & Sabatell, R. M . (1992) . The Differeation in the Family System Scale (DIFS). The American Journal of Family Therary, 20, 77-89.
Barnhill, L. R. (1979). Healthy family systems. Family Coordinator, 28, 94-100.
Bartle, S. E., & Sabatelli, R. M. (1989). Family system dynamics, identity development, and adolescent alcohol use: Implications for family treatment. Family Relations, 38, 258-265.
Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
Bomar, J. A. (1994). The relationship between family systems dynamics and adjustment in a sample of late adolescents. Dissertation Abstracts International, 54 (07), 3871B. (University Microfilms No. AAC9333196)
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the family as a context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22,723-742.
Carter,B,& McGoldrick, M. (1989). Overview: The changing family life cycle- - A framework for family therapy. In B. Carter & M. McGoldrick (Eds.), The changing family life cycle: A framework for family therapy (2nd ed., pp. 3-28). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Chickering, A. W. (1969). Education and Identity. San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass.
Chun, Y. J., & MacDermid, S. M. (1995). Relationships among the family differentiation, peer relationships, individuation and self-esteem of Korean adolescents. In P. L. Lin & W. H. Tsai (Eds.), Selected readings on marriage and the family: A global perspective (pp. 93-104). Indianapolis, IN: University of Indianapolis Press.
Cole, D. A., & Jordon, A. E. (1989). Assessment of cohesion and adapt- ability in component
family dyads: A question of convergent and discriminant validity. Journal of Counseling
Psychology, 36, 456-463.
Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: Norton. Farley, J. E. (1979). Family separation-individuation tolerance: A developmental conceptualization of the nuclear family. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 5, 61-67.
Gavazzi, S. M. (1993). The relation between family differentiation levels in families with adolescents and the severity of presenting problems. Family Relations, 42, 463- 468.
Gavazzi, S. M. (1994). Advances in assessing the relationship between family differentiation and problematic functioning in adolescents. Family Therapy, 21, 249- 259.
Gavazzi, S. M., Anderson, S. A., & Sabatelli, R. M. (1993). Family differentiation, peer differentiation, and adolescent adjustment in a clinical sample. Journal of Adolescent Research, 8, 205-225.
Gavazzi, S. M., Goettler, D. E., Solomon, S. P., & McKenry, P. C. (1994). The impact of family and peer differentiation levels on adolescent psychosocial development and problematic behaviors. Contemporary Family Therapy, 16, 431-448.
Gavazzi, S. M., & Sabatelli, R. M. (1990). Family system dynamics, the individuation process, and psychosocial development. Journal of Adolescent Research, 5, 500-519.
Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development. Cambridg-e, MA: Havard University Press. 
Grotevant, H. D,& Cooper, C. R. (1985). Patterns of interaction in family relationships and the development of identity exploration in adolescence. Child Development, 56, 415-428.
Held, B. S,& Bellows, D. C. (1983). A family systems approach to crisis reactions to colleg-e students. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 9, 365-373.
Hsu, J. (1985). The Chinese family: Relations, problems, and therapy. In W.-S. Tseng & D. Y. H. Wu (Eds.), Chinese culture and mental health (pp. 95-112). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Josselson, R. (1987). Finding herself: Pathways to identity development in women. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Kalpel, M. K. (1976). Individuation: From fusion to dialogue. Family Process, 15(4), 65-82.
Kerr, M. E,& Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation: An approach based on Bowen theory. New York: Norton.
Lopez, F. G. (1992). Family dynamics and late adolescent identity development. In S. D. Brown & W. R. Lent (Eds.), Handbook of counseling psychology (2nd ed., pp. 251-183). New York: Wiley.

Minuchin, P. (1985). Families and individual development: Provocationsfrom the field of family therapy. Child Development, 56, 289-302.
Openlander, P., & Searight, H. R. (1983). Family therapy perspective in the college counseling center. Journal of College Student Personnel, 24, 423-427.
Ryan, R. M., & Lynch, J. H. (1989). Emotional autonomy versus detachment: Revisiting the vicissitudes of adolescent and young adulthood Child Development, 60, 340-356.
Sabatelli, R. M., & Anderson, S. A. (1991). Family system dynamics, peer relationships, and adolescents' psychosocial adjustment. Family Relations, 40, 363- 369.
Sabatelli, R. M., & Mazor, A. (1985). Differentiation, individuation, and identity formation: the integration of family system and individual developmental perspectives. Adolescence, 20, 619-633.
Schultheiss, D. P., & Blustein, D. L. (1994). Role of adolescent-parent relationships in college student development and adjustment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 41, 248-255.
Shapiro, E. R. (1988). Individual change and family development: lndividuation as a family process. In C. J. Falicov (Ed.), Family transitions: Continuity and change over the life cycle (pp. 159-180). New York: Guilford.
Walsh, F. (1993). Conceptualization of normal family processes. In F. Walsh (Ed.), Normal family processes (2nd ed., pp. 3-69). New York: Guilford.

Download
Download